Amazon Offers Refunds On Purchases Of Bogus Solar Eclipse Shades

Amazon has begun issuing refunds to some customers who purchased solar glasses on the site that it suspects of being knockoffs. Due to the upcoming total solar eclipse, there has been a huge demand for solar glasses, which allows star gazers to look directly at the sun without harming their vision. However, a rash of fake glasses that have not been certified have found their way to the web.

One of the things to look for when shopping for a pair of solar shades is an ISO stamp. Specifically, the glasses should be imprinted with ISO 12312-2 to indicate they pass muster with the necessary filters for being able to stare directly at the uneclipsed (or partially eclipsed) sun. Unfortunately, third-party sellers have been hawking fake glasses with the ISO label imprinted on them.

These solar glasses by Lunt Solar are meet the ISO 12312-2 standard for viewing the sun.

Knockoff glasses may not provide adequate protection. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) updated its safety advice "in response to alarming reports" of potentially unsafe glasses selling online and now recommends that buyers be skeptical of solar shades, even if they carry the ISO seal.

Many of those glasses were selling on Amazon. The online retailer issued a statement to KGW in Portland saying it has removed certain listings "out of an abundance of caution," while issuing refunds to customers who purchased a pair of questionable shades.

"Safety is among our highest priorities. Out of an abundance of caution, we have proactively reached out to customers and provided refunds for eclipse glasses that may not comply with industry standards. We want customers to buy with confidence anytime they make a purchase on Amazon.com and eclipse glasses sold on Amazon.com are required to comply with the relevant ISO standard," Amazon said.

If you are in search of solar glasses, your best bet is to stick with reputable vendors that are recommended by NASA. See here for more tips on viewing the upcoming eclipse.